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Switzerland

Swiss Confederation
parliamentary federal republic
own names:
– German: Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft
– French: Confédération Suisse
– Italian: Confederazione Svizzera
– Rhaeto-Roman: Confedaraziun Svizera
– Latin: Confoederatio Helvetica

• Flags

• Historical Flags

• Meaning/Origin of the Flag

• Coat of Arms

• Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

• Aircraft Roundel

• Map

• Numbers and Facts

• History

• Origin of the Country's Name

• Cantons

Flags

National flag,
ratio = 1:1,
Source, by: Flags of the World

Flagge Fahne flag Merchant flag merchant flag Schweiz Schweizerische Eidgenossenschaft Swiss Confederation Confédération Suisse Confederazione Svizzera Confedaraziun Svizera Confoederatio Helvetica Flaggen flags Fahnen

Merchant flag,
ratio = 2:3,
Source, by: Flags of the World

Historical Flags

Flagge Fahne flag National flag national flag Schweiz Swiss Suisse Svizzera Svizera Helvetische Republik Republique Repubblica Flaggen flags Fahnen

1798–1803,
National flag in German cantons with the inscription "Helvetische Republik",
Source, by: Flags of the World, Die Welt der Flaggen

Flagge Fahne flag National flag national flag Schweiz Swiss Suisse Svizzera Svizera Helvetische Republik Republique Helvetique Repubblica Flaggen flags Fahnen

1798–1803,
National flag in French cantons with the inscription "Republique Helvetique",
Source, by: Flags of the World, Die Welt der Flaggen

Flagge Fahne flag National flag national flag Schweiz Swiss Suisse Svizzera Svizera Helvetische Republik Republique Repubblica Helvetica Elvetica Flaggen flags Fahnen

1798–1803,
National flag in Italian cantons with the inscription "Repubblica Elvetica (Helvetica)",
Source, by: Flags of the World, Die Welt der Flaggen

1840–1889,
National flag,
Source: Wikipedia (DE)

The flag of Switzerland shows a white floating cross (a cross whose arms do not reach the edges of the shield or flag) on a red background. The arms of the cross are 6 parts long and 5 parts wide. The width of the cross in proportion to the width of the flag is 2/3 to 7/10. The shade of red in the flag and in the coat of arms was not regulated by law until 2017. Various shades of red were used, such as Pantone 032. In 2007, the Federal Administration created a corporate design that specified Pantone 485. This was followed in 2013 by the adoption of the "Federal Law on the Protection of the Swiss Coat of Arms and Other Public Signs", which came into force in 2017. Here, too, Pantone 485 was specified.

The white, free-standing cross (a cross its arms do not reach the border of the shield or of the flag) on red ground was mentioned for the first time in the Battle of Laupen (1339), namely as field-sign of the confederal army. In the year 1480 it was officially introduced as the symbol of the confederacy. After the invasion of French troops under Napoléon Switzerland became the "Helvetian Republic", a French protectorate. On 13th of February in 1799, a tricolour flag was adopted as a first common Swiss flag. It showed three horizontal stipes in green, red and gold. In the middle of the red stripe was placed the name of the country in big, golden letters, namely in German, or French or Italian, ever in which canton it was hoisted and which language there was the predominant. The today’s square flag was created in 1840 and officially introduced in 1848 on the occasion of the proclamation of a new constitution after the "Special-Confederation War". With the Federal Decree of the 12th of December in 1889, the shape of the cross was changed slightly to its present form. About the origin of the Swiss flag exist two explanations:
• Coat of arms and flag of Switzerland derived out of the by the Canton of Schwyz used symbol, a white free-standing cross
• The pristine Cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden used initially only a single-coloured red flag. The white cross was added in the 14th century. In this way was demonstrated the rejection of all feudal rule, but even too the loyalty to the Holy Roman Empire of German Nation, because the colour red and a white cross were German imperial symbols in the middle ages (look: historical flags of the German Empire).

The cantons had and have own coats of arms and flags. Sometimes their flags carryed and carry a white cross as a sign of affiliation to the confederation. In former days was therefore additionally hoisted a red pennant with a white cross above the flag of the canton. The flags of the cantons are often scutcheon flags, but there are even flags which show only the colours of the canton. The Swiss have an outstanding tradition as mercenaries in foreign armies. Until today the Vatican has a gard of Swiss mercenaries. The flags of the Swiss mercenaries showed oftenly an until the border of the flag reaching white cross and or were "flamed".

Source: Flaggen Wappen Hymnen, Die Welt der Flaggen, Flaggen-Atlas Erde, Wikipedia (DE), Volker Preuß

Coat of Arms

Coat of arms of Switzerland,
Source, by: Flaggen und Wappen der Welt

Meaning/Origin of the Coat of Arms

The coat of arms of Switzerland was officially introduced in its today’s appearance in the year 1889. It shows a free-standing silvery cross on a red blazon. A free-standing cross is a cross its arms do not reach the borders of the shield or the flag. This cross was mentioned for the first time in the Battle of Laupen (1339), namely as a field-sign of the confederal army. The arms of the cross are 6 parts long and 5 parts wide. The shade of red in the flag and in the coat of arms was not regulated by law until 2017. Various shades of red were used, such as Pantone 032. In 2007, the Federal Administration created a corporate design that specified Pantone 485. This was followed in 2013 by the adoption of the "Federal Law on the Protection of the Swiss Coat of Arms and Other Public Signs", which came into force in 2017. Here, too, Pantone 485 was specified.

Source: Die Welt der Flaggen, Wikipedia (DE), Volker Preuß

Aircraft Roundel

Aircraft Roundel,
Source, by: Wikipedia (EN)

Map

Location:

Source: CIA World Factbook

Map of the country:

Source: CIA World Factbook

Numbers and Facts

Area: 15.940 square miles

Inhabitants: 8.738.791 (2021), thereof 25% foreigners (Italians, Germans, Portuguese, French, Yugoslavians, Spaniards)

Religions: 38% Roman Catholic, 29% Protestant, 5% Muslim, 2% Orthodox Christian, 0,5% Buddhist, 22% Non-Religious

Density of Population: 548 inh./sq.mi.

Capital: Bern, 134.290 inh. (2021)

official Languages: German, French, Italian, Rhaeto-Roman

Currency: 1 Swiss Franc (CHF, sfr., Fr.) = 100 Rappen

Time Zone: GMT + 1 h

Source: Wikipedia (DE)

Cantons

Liste

History

100 B.C. · the celtic tribe of the Helvetians immigrates into the region between Jura Mountains and the Alps Mountains (today’s northwest of Switzerland), in the eastern Alps live the Raetians, a people of unknown descent (Semits?)

58 B.C. · the region of the Helvetians becomes conquered by the Roman Empire and affiliated to the Province of Germania Superior (=Upper Germania)

15 B.C. · the region of the Alpine Raetians becomes conquered by the Roman Empire and affiliated to the Province of Raetia

260–270 A.D. · the teutonic tribe of the Alemanns invades the region of the Helvetians (germanization)

395 · at the partition of the Roman Empire the today's Switzerland comes to the West Roman Empire (Rome)

443 · leftovers of the by the Huns eradicated teutonic tribe of the Burgunds settle in the south of the Lake of Genf (Savoyen) and establish the Empire of the Burgunds

445 · the teutonic tribe of the Burgunds partially invades the Alemann Helvetia coming from the west and conquers the wohle territory of the today's Switzerland except Raetia

532–534 · the Empire of the Burgunds becomes conquered and submited by the Frankish Empire

843 · Treaty of Verdun, at the partition of the Frankish Empire Helvetia comes to the Empire of Lothar, Raetia comes to the Empire of Ludwig the German

870 · Treaty of Meersen, division of the Empire of Lothar, Helvetia comes also to the Empire of Ludwig the German

880 · Treaty of Ribemont, formation of the Kingdom of Upper Burgund, Helvetia comes to Upper Burgund, Raetia comes to the East Frankish Kingdom (German Empire)

933 · Upper Burgund and Lower Burgund unite to the Kingdom of Burgund (Arelat)

1032 · the German emperor Konrad II. from the house of the Saliers inherits Burgund, Burgund comes to the German Empire, in this way Helvetia and Raetia (the today's Switzerland) belong to the German Empire

12th/13th century · evolution of the Dioceses of Genf, Lausanne, Sitten, Basel, Chur and Konstanz, and of separate counties under the rule of the Zaehringers, later of the Savoys and Habsburgs, and of free rural municipalities like Uri and Schwyz as well as free empire's cities like e.g. Basel

1291 · „Everlasting Union“ (Eidgenossenschaft = mutual benefit association of an oath = confederation) of the three pristine cantons of Uri, Schwyz and Unterwalden against aspirations of rule of the Habsburgs

1315 · Battle of Morgarten, victory of the confederation against an army of Duke Leopold I. of Austria

1332 · Luzern joins the confederation

1351 · Zuerich joins the confederation

1352 · Glarus and Zug join the confederation

1353 · Bern joins the confederation

1386 · Battle of Sempach, victory of the confederation over the Habsburgs

1388 · Battle of Naefels, victory of the confederation over the Habsburgs

1389 · the house of Habsburg recognizes the independence of the confederation

1415 · the confederation conquers the Aargau and affiliates it to the confederation as a subject country

1416 · Wallis joins the confederation

1439 · the Habsburgs become German emperors

1460 · the confederation conquers the Thurgau and affiliates it to the confederation as a subject country

1476 · Battles of Grandson and Murten, victory of the confederation, repulse of attempts of expansion by Burgundy

1481 · the urban cantons of Freiburg and Solothurn become affiliated to the confederation as subject countries

1498 · Graubuenden joins the confederation

1499 · the German emperor Maximilian I. trys to force the confederation to accept the Empire's Reform of Worms, it follows the "Suebian War", for the confederation victorious battles of Schwaderloh and Calven, Peace of Basel, the emperor recognizes pro forma and under special terms the independence of the confederation from the empire

1501 · Basel and Schaffhausen join the confederation

1512 · Veltlin joins the confederation

1513 · Appenzell joins the confederation

1518 · partial introduction of the reformation by Zwingli

1526 · Genf joins the confederation

1648 · Westfalian Peace after the German Thirty Years War, the separation of the confederation from the German Empire becomes ultimately recognized

17th/18th century · the confederation consists in a combination of countries consisting in the 13 full entitled places, several devoted places, shaded places, subject countries and common subject countries, in the places arises in contrast to the free constitution an aristocracy or even nobility, which followed farmers and subjects riotings and struggles for power and civil wars

1798 · French Revolution, attempts of reforms, invasion of French troops, creation of the "Helvetian Republic" as a democratic unity-state with constitution under French protectorate, Genf becomes annexed by France, Neuenburg and Wallis become separated and independent

19th of February 1803 · Napoléon I., Emperor of France, inacts the File of Mediation for Switzerland, a federal constitution, Switzerland becomes again a confederation of now 19 having equal rights sovereign cantons (13 old places + 6 new places)

1815 · Vienna Congress, reconfiguration of Europe after the era Napoléon, re-admission of the cantons Genf, Neuenburg and Wallis in the Swiss Confederation, the independence of the Swiss Confederation as political neutral confederacy with appreciable sovereignty of its cantons becomes confirmed

1815–1830 · aristocracies, nobilities and guilds establish themselves again in the positions of the power of the cantons, there rise again struggles for power and constitution debates

1830–1831 · ten cantons introduce democratic-republican constitutions with people's sovereignty, equality in law and separation of the powers

1835–1845 · within the confederation arise ambitions to a forcible creation of a democratic-republican unity-state which should include all cantons

1845 · seven catholic-conservative cantons join for cover in a „Special Association“

1847 · Special Association War, victory of the confederated troops

1848 · new constitution, transformation of Switzerland in a federation with central government under standardization of foreign affairs, postal service, customs, currency, measures and weights

1874 · reform of the constitution

1914–1918 · First World War, Switzerland remains neutral but is committed for prisoners of war and wounded soldiers in the spirit of the international law of war and by perpetuation of strict neutrality

1939–1945 · Second World War, Switzerland remains neutral

1971 · introduction of the suffrage for women

1978 · by referendum creation of the canton of Jura by separation from the canton of Bern

1986 · by referendum rejection of the joining to the UNO

1996 · agreement with the NATO

2001 · by referendum rejection of the joining to the European Union

2002 · Approval by referendum, accession to UNO

2014–2021 · negotiations for a framework agreement between the European Union and Switzerland, ultimately broken off without results

Source: Wikipedia (D), Atlas zur Geschichte, World Statesmen, RetroBib Retrobibliothek

Origin of the Country's Name

The name of the country "Switzerland" is derived from the canton of "Schwyz", which indeed was the mightiest of the pristine cantons of the early confederatio. The Latin name "Helvetia" – which nevertheless is in use on the foreign country mark of Switzerland (CH = Confoederatio Helvetica) – has its roots in the tribe of the "Helvetians", which lived about the birth of Christ in the area of the today’s Switzerland.

Source: Volker Preuß

Kindly supported by: Fabio Vassalli (CH)